Anti-power plant campaign gathers pace in Barrow

Over 3,500 signatures have been gathered by protesters for a petition against a proposed biomass power station in Barrow, UK.

The campaigning group, calling themselves Furness Opposes Biomass, is against a proposed 80MW power station from integrated energy company Centrica. They have named potential health problems and destruction of the landscape as reasons why they are campaigning.

However, any new Centrica-owned biomass plant would be built on the site of a pre-existing gas-fired plant which will shut down upon reaching its economic  lifespan. Centrica claim any new plant will save those current 35 jobs and create 15 new ones.

As the petition reached over 3,000 signatures, a debate within Cumbria County Council (CCC) about the proposal will now take place on 21 June.

A councillor who serves on both Barrow Borough Council and the CCC, Ray Guselli, told local news outlets that he is in full support of the campaign: ‘I am delighted to welcome industry but it has to be in keeping with the town, not visually damaging or potentially damaging to health.’